Dems give props to Kimmel as ObamaCare repeal stumbles – The Hill

Democrats cheering what appears to be the imminent failure of the GOP’s latest ObamaCare repeal effort are giving a special shout out to Jimmy Kimmel, the comedian-turned-activist whose opposition to the bill made him the public face of resistance.

“Jimmy Kimmel played a huge role, in the sense that [he] connected with average Americans,” Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) said Friday.

“It had a tremendous impact to make people think.”

Kimmel, the late-night host of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” has for months turned the GOP’s repeal effort into a personal crusade, broadcasting the plight of his infant son, born with a serious heart condition, and accusing the Republicans of pushing legislation that would steal his son’s health coverage.

Meeks cited Kimmel’s “celebrity factor” as a wildcard that resonated with the public, perhaps more than the message coming from the Republicans. He compared the dynamics to those that accompanied the rise of President Trump, another television personality who used his fame to climb all the way to the White House.

“He sways public opinion which then sways debate. And because it was so emotional — to show his family, to show the human side of it — he’s really just going through what everyone else goes through, and how it would affect everyday Americans,” Richmond said.

“I think it just helped put a story and a face with it.”

The Republicans have been struggling all year to make good on a years-long promise to dismantle President Obama’s health-care law, but the Cassidy-Graham proposal had gained steam in recent days. GOP leaders are eying a vote on the bill next week.

McCain was the crucial vote that halted the Republicans’ earlier repeal effort in July. In voting no, he cited the absence of both committee hearings on the legislation and the lack of Democratic buy-in. He urged GOP leaders to return to the drawing board to work on a bipartisan plan that followed regular order — and that was the same message he delivered on Friday.

“I believe we could do better working together, Republicans and Democrats, and have not yet really tried,” he said in a statement.

For the moment, however, the Democrats are claiming a huge victory in their fight to protect the Affordable Care Act. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) claimed Friday that McCain’s opposition lends the Democrats the opportunity to “finally put a stake in the heart of this monstrous bill.”

The news of McCain’s defection was cheered by the participants of the CBC’s annual issues conference, which was staged this week at Washington’s cavernous Convention Center. When it was announced in a session examining the intersection of hip-hop and politics, “people stood up and clapped,” said Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.).

Carson praised Kimmel’s role as significant, though he was quick to note that the vocal opposition from activists, health care groups and the social justice movement also played a crucial role in applying pressure to on-the-fence Republicans.

“Politicians pay attention to two things: money and poll numbers,” Carson said. He also suggested that McCain, recently diagnosed with brain cancer, is looking beyond the next election.

“Sen. McCain’s a very smart guy, he’s dealt with health challenges in his own life, and he’s seen his constituents suffer,” Carson said.